It is known to provide electric motors to provide power assisted steering in automobiles or other vehicles. Electric motors have various known advantages over traditional hydraulic power assist systems, among the most notable being significant energy savings at high engine RPMs. However, electric systems are also prone to failures that are unknown to hydraulic systems, such as short circuits and the like. What is needed is a diagnostic system that can monitor an electric power steering system, detect various electrical failures, and signal the failure to the operator.